Stansberry, Towns sign scholarships to run for Xavier

Lawrence Stansberry IV

NEW ORLEANS — Lawrence Stansberry IV of New Orleans and Darian Towns of Memphis, Tenn., have signed cross country scholarships with Xavier University of Louisiana. Both will be XU freshmen in August.

Stansberry finished 12th for Brother Martin High School in the District 10-5A championship meet as a junior in 2009 and recorded his best three-mile time, 16 minutes and 57 seconds, while finishing 13th at the Brother Martin Invitational in October. His other best times include 2:15.60 for 800 meters, 4:50.61 for the 1,600 and 18:29.73 for the 5,000.

Darian Towns

Towns, competing for White Station High School, was the Region 8-AAA girls cross country champion in 2008 and 2010 and finished 10th as a sophomore in the state meet. Her best times are 19:24 for 5,000 meters — she has broken 20 minutes three times in that event — 2:29.72 for the 800, 5:22.86 for the 1,600, 5:35.49 for one mile and 11:45.94 for the 3,200.

Xavier has signed three men and three women for next season. XU competes in the NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and won the last five GCAC women's and men's team championships.

NOTES: Zahri Jackson, who signed with Xavier during the winter and is graduating a year early from Kingwood Park High School in Kingwood, Texas, won the 1,600 Friday in 4:57.33 at the University Interscholastic League state track and field meet in Austin. Jackson is unbeaten in the 1,600 in five meets this year, including district and region championships, and she's 10th among U.S. juniors at that distance this outdoor season.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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